After the Red
by Doc Lee
Summary: Set in the aftermath of 2x20. This fic contains MAJORLY HUGE spoilers for the episode, so if you've not seen it... Go watch it! Reviews welcome.


Damn... I did not see the end of 'Seeing Red' coming. Talk about a game changer. I've tried my hand at a few different fic's set after the episode, but this is the only one I'm confident enough to post, and even then. As always, all constructive reviews (good or bad) are welcome. Enjoy.

Disclaimer- The people that own Arrow are the people that own Arrow. I am not one of those people.

* * *

'Ladies and Gentlemen,' Felicity stood at the podium, her nerves completely frazzled as the throng of reporters stared at her. She didn't know how she'd ended up as the Queen family spokesperson, but here she was, standing before live international media and praying furiously that her mouth wouldn't run away from her, 'Around three hours ago, the limousine carrying Mayoral candidate Moira Queen, her son Oliver Queen and her daughter Thea Queen was involved in a collision with another, yet unknown, vehicle.'

'As a result,' Felicity gulped as she prepared to read the fictional account of Moira's death, 'It is with my upmost distress to announce that Moira Dearden Queen succumbed to her injuries before the EMTs arrived on scene. Oliver...'

Felicity winced, blinking at both the sudden noise and flashing of camera bulbs. Opening her mouth, she realised that the crowds attention was focused behind her. Turning she saw the man in question hobbling towards her, a determined look on his face.

'I can't let him get away with it,' Oliver ground out when Felicity stopped him reaching the podium, 'The world has to know who he is and what he's done.'

'Oliver,' Felicity gasped, 'If you're about to...'

'I'm not going to go that far,' Oliver admitted, 'but I'm going to admit my part in what's happening.' Without waiting for Felicity to reply, Oliver hobbled up to the podium.

'Tonight,' Oliver forced the facade of calm to stay over him, a feat that all who saw him could see through, 'My mother was murdered. She was killed by Slade Wilson because of actions committed while on the island.'

'I was not alone on the Island,' Oliver revealed, the press turning silent as they listened enraptured, 'There was a man called Yao Fei. He was on the island so a man called Edward Fryers could launch an attack on a Ferris airliner. The goal was to blame Yao Fei and the Chinese government, thus destabilising the stock markets and making billions for his boss. I, along with Slade Wilson and Yao Fei's daughter Shado, prevented the attack.'

'Slade Wilson was on the island to prevent the attack,' Oliver hissed as his knee voiced it's displeasure as being upright, 'He took what Yao Fei had taught me and expanded on it. What those two men taught me kept me alive until my rescue and I am forever in their debt.'

'Shortly after we stopped the attack,' Oliver sighed, 'At the cost of Yao Fei's life, another group of people arrived on the island and to my complete shock, Sara Lance was among them. Anthony Ivo had discovered her floating on wreckage and had saved her life.'

'Where is this going Oliver?' Quentin Lance stepped forward and covered his hand over the microphone, 'What does Sara have to do with tonight?'

'You'll see Mr Lance,' Oliver winced. Finding a glass of water suddenly floating before him, Oliver smiled at Felicity and took a sip, 'Ivo was searching for a lost Japanese submarine that contained a WWII experimental serum that he believed could save his wife's life.'

'Miracuru has side effects,' Oliver grimaced, 'Some we didn't understand fully about before Slade was mortally wounded. I chose to give Slade a dose of the Miracuru as I believed he would die for certain without it.'

'After giving Slade the drug,' Oliver felt his hand shaking, 'Ivo captured myself, Sara and Shado. He...'

'He forced both women to their knees and demanded that I tell him who I wanted to live or die,' Oliver gulped, the shocked gasps passing him by as he retreated into the horrific memory, 'Ivo swung the gun towards Sara and I reacted instinctively by throwing myself between the gun and her.'

'Ivo...' Oliver fought the rising panic, 'He saw that as my choice, so he killed Shado.'

Silence reigned across the crowd, even the incessant clicking of camera shutters ceased as they watched Oliver battling his demons before them.

'The Miracuru had worked,' Oliver's voice was thick when he restarted, 'But it warped Slade's mind. He blames me for the death of Shado. The death of the woman he loves. Everything that has happened to my family in the past few weeks is because he has been fulfilling a promise he made to me on the island.'

'He took Thea,' Oliver bit out, 'Through Isobel Roschev, he's taken Queen Consolidated and tonight, he took my mother.'

'The statement I asked Felicity to read out is not the exact truth,' Oliver admitted, 'I woke after the accident to find myself laying bound in a wooded clearing, Slade standing behind my kneeling mother and sister.'

A few gasps rang out as people started to see where Oliver was going.

'He wanted me to choose again,' Oliver's hand shakily reached out for the glass, the water almost spilling over him as he sipped, 'Thea or my mother.'

'I begged him to kill me instead,' Oliver stared out at the reporters, 'But he laughed it off. Mom...'

Oliver felt Felicity step beside him, her calming hand resting on his back. Taking a deep breath Oliver finished his horrific statement.

'Mom offered herself. She demanded that Slade kill her and not either of her children. So he did...' Oliver choked out.

'Slade,' Oliver felt his tears start to fall, 'you have brought me to my knees, as you promised me. No one else needs to die but me. I will surrender myself to you at a time and place of your choosing. Finish your revenge with me and me alone.'

The reporters were too shocked by what Oliver had just said to react, their shouts only reaching him as he disappeared into the hospital.

* * *

'A shocking and quite frankly disturbing turn of events tonight...' Slade watched his monitor gleefully as the news station replayed Oliver's plea.

'Not yet kid,' He leant forward, his remaining eye watching Oliver and Felicity standing at the podium intently, 'One more must die before I release you, and now you've just shown me who that person will be.'


End file.
